Literature prize names category winners

Thirty-five literary works in seven categories won the 8th Lu Xun Literature Prize, one of the top literature awards in China, on Thursday.

"The winning works represent the outstanding ones of different categories and genres created in the last four years," said Tie Ning, president of the China Writers Association, in a speech delivered at the last jury meeting.

Established in 1997, the Lu Xun Literature Prize has picked 264 works that have become part of the splendid landscape of Chinese contemporary literature over more than two decades.

Among the competitors in the novella category, there were many long works of high spirits, especially those by young writers, said Xie Youshun, one of the judges.

Five writers won the best novella award, including Hong Kong writer Ge Liang for Feifa (Hairdressing).Ge is the first Hong Kong writer to win the prize. In Feifa, Ge describes personal fate and the spiritual look of the city by examining the history of daily life.

The 286 short stories participating in the competition cover a wide range of topics, said Pan Kaixiong, deputy director to the jury of the category. There are realistic works, romantic works and also works that boldly explore this genre's artistic style and form, he said.

Five poets, including Han Dong, Lu Ye, Chen Renjie and Zang Di, won the best poem collection award. In Shanhaijian (Between the Mountains and Rivers), Chen Renjie, in sentient language, presents the amazing landscapes in the west of China and people's expectation for good life, says Zong Renfa, deputy director to the poetry jury. In Shige Zhiwuxue (The Botany of Poetry), Zang Di discovers beauty in the plants he sees in daily life.

Fang Wei, one of the judges of essays, said that judging from the 237 competing works, nature, history and rural areas are the three trendy topics for essay-writing recently.

In addition to the four categories, the literature prize also included awards for top books of literary theory and criticism, translation and reportage.

Zhang Hongsen, vice-president of the association, said that the organization has planned to create "Chinese literature grand ceremonies "centering on literature awards of national level to show the aspirations and great efforts of the writers to climb the artistic peaks in a new era. It also wants to display the prominent achievements of literature in the vibrant new era, let excellent writers and works enter the vision of common people in richer forms and new ways, attract more readers and unite strong literary forces across society.